DIAMOND  POINTS  I 


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INTERCHURCH  WORLD  MOVEMENT 

III  HFTH  AVENUE,  NEW  YORK  CITY 


What  It  Is.  The  Interchurch  World  Movement  has  been 
called  into  existence  for  the  purpose  of  developing  a plan 
whereby  the  evangelical  churches  of  North  America  may  co» 
operate  in  carrying  out  their  educational,  missionary  and  bene- 
volent programs  at  home  and  abroad. 

Origin.  It  had  its  beginning  in  a meeting  held  in  New  York 
City,  December  17,  1918,  in  response  to  a call  of  the  Foreign 
Mission  Board  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  South.  The  one 
hundred  and  thirty-five  persons  in  attendance  unanimously 
agreed  that  the  times  demand  a degree  of  efficiency  and 
power  on  the  part  of  the  evangelical  churches,  which  can  be 
effectually  secured  only  by  the  cooperation  of  all. 

The  Plan  Formed  and  Received,  A Committee  of  Twenty 
was  created  to  report  a plan  of  organization  and  procedure. 
The  report  of  this  committee  was  received,  and  approved  in 
turn  by  the  Foreign  Missions  Conference  of  North  America, 
the  Home  Missions  Council,  the  Council  of  Church  Boards 
of  Education,  the  Sunday  School  Council,  the  Federation  of 
Women’s  Boards  of  Foreign  Missions,  and  the  Council  of 
Women  for  Home  Missions.  Each  of  these  bodies  heartily 
pledged  its  cooperation  in  making  the  plan  a reality.  More 
than  sixty  denominational  and  jnterdenominational  agencies 
have  endorsed  the  Movement. 

Announced  to  the  Country.  The  plans  of  the  Movement  were 
presented  widely  by  means  of  a series  of  regional  conferences, 
and  much  helpful  criticism  and  many  constructive  sugges- 
tions were  called  forth.  One  hundred  leading  pastors,  after  a 
two  days’  conference  at  Pittsburgh,  in  April,  1919,  enthusias- 
tically and  unanimously  approved  the  Movement.  An  Inter- 
board conference  of  five  hundred  men  and  women  from  twenty- 
eight  communions  and  largely  representative  of  the  official  de- 
nominational boards  and  societies,  was  held  in  Cleveland,  April 
30-May  ly  1919.  Here  the  idea  of  the  Movement  received  the 
most  careful  consideration,  and  the  conviction  was  unanimous 
that  it  was  providential,  necessary  and  imperative. 

Scope.  The  Interchurch  World  Movement  has  set  itself  the 
task  of  discovering  and  grouping  the  facts  ^ concerning  the 
world’s  needs;  of  building  a program  of  inspiration  and  edu- 
cation based  on  these  facts ; of  developing  spiritual  power 
adequate  for  the  task;  and  of  securing  enough  lives  and  money 
to  meet  the  needs. 

Survey  and  Budget.  The  facts  are  being  ascertained  by  means 
of  a world-wide  survey  and  the  needs  of  the  world  as  revealed 
by  this  survey  are  being  budgeted  in  terms  of  men  and  money 
suffident  to  meet  them. 

Education.  The  “Interchurch  Bulletin’’  informs  workers  in  the 
churches  and  in  the  Movement  of  the  latest  developments  in 
the  program  of  the  organization.  Several  periodicals — “World 
Outlook,’’  “Everyland,’’  “La  Nueva  Democracia” — are  pub- 


lished  by  the  Movement  for  the  dissemination  through  the 
churches  of  information  concerning  the  Kingdom.  Literature 
explanatory  of  the  Movement  and  designed  to  develop  the 
spiritual  resources  of  the  churches,  Christian  stewardship  and 
life  service,  is  widely  distributed  by  the  Movement. 

Conferences.  The  Movement  by- means  of  training  conferences 
for  state  leaders  and  pastors  is  preparing  to  carry  the  message 
of  the  world’s  needs  to  the  last  church  and  is  seeking  to  lay 
upon  each  member  a personal  responsibility  with  reference  to 
the  whole  task, 

Enlistment.  A great  spiritual  campaign  will  seek  the  enlist- 
ment of  the  entire  life  of  consecrated  men,  and  of  money 
sufficient  to  carry  to  completion  the  whole  program  of  the 
organization. 

Administration.  For  economy  and  conservation  in  the  work  of 
the  Kingdom,  interdenominational  cooperation  which  has  been 
steadily  increasing  during  recent  years,  is  to  be  carried  just  as 
far  as  the  condition  of  separate  organizations  will  permit. 
But  the  Movement  does  not  in  any  way,  seek  to  displace  or 
interfere  with  the  autonomy  and  responsibility  of  administra- 
tion of  the  cooperating  agencies. 

Contributions.  In  the  financial  campaign  the  funds  raised 
among  the  several  constituencies,  should  be  sent  directly  to  the 
regular  treasurers  of  such  bodies.  A central  treasury,  however, 
will  assemble  and  report  the  financial  facts  of  the  campaign  and 
will  disburse  funds  for  the  common  expenses  of  the  Move- 
ment. It  also  will  serve  as  a clearing  house  for  all  cooperat- 
ing agencies,  receiving  funds  not  sent  through  regular 
denominational  treasurers  and  distributing  the  same  on  a 
pro  rata  basis  as  agreed  upon  by  the  several  agencies  cooper- 
ating. 

Expenses.  The  immediate  expenses  of  the  Movement  are  being 
met  through  credits  established  by  the  cooperating  boards  of  the 
churches.  These  boards  do  not  advance  money,  but  they  do 
provide  credit  on  which  the  Movement  can  borrow. 

Cost.  The  cost  of  the  campaign  will  depend  upon  the  size  of 
the  budget.  The  larger  the  budget,  the  less  will  be  the  pro- 
portional cost.  Financial  campaigns  of  the  size  heretofore  un- 
dertaken separately  by  the  cooperating  agencies  usually  cost 
from  seven  to  twelve  per  cent,  of  the  total  amount  secured.  It 
is  expected  that  the  cost  of  this  campaign  will  be  reduced  to 
about  four  per  cent,  of  the  total,  effecting  a saving  of  fifty  per 
cent,  or  more. 

Extent  of  Cooperation,  It  is  left  to  each  denomination  to  de- 
termine the  extent  to  which  it  will  cooperate  in  the  financial 
campaign.  If  any  denomination  has  obtained  all  the  money 
it  needs  for  the  next  five  years  it  can  enter  on  all  the  other 
phases  of  the  Movement,  if  it  so  desires. 

Relation  to  the  Forward  Movernents.  The  Interchurch  Move- 
ment comes  as  a natural  culmination  of  denominational  for- 
ward movements,  the  leaders  of  which  were  quick  to  realize 
that  the  objectives  which  they  had  in  mind  could  be  attained 
in  a still  larger  way  by  working  together.  With  revised  pro- 
grams and  unified  aims,  they  now  seek  to  do  their  work  col- 
lectively through  the  instrumentality  of  the  Interchurch  World 
Movement. 

No.264.I.200.Dec.,1919. 


